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Russe Border
Amazing Red Flax
Orchid or Purple Rockrose
Bearded Iris
Giant Feather Grass
Perennial Marigold
Island Tree Mallow
Garden Nasturtium
Trailing Ice Plant
Amazing Red Flax

Common name:Amazing Red Flax
Botanical name:Phormium 'Amazing Red'

Phormium 'Amazing Red' is an evergreen perennial. It is a 2' tall, dramatic plant composed of many swordlike, stiffly vertical leaves in a fan pattern. Leaves are dark reddish brown in color.

Orchid or Purple Rockrose

Common name:Orchid or Purple Rockrose
Botanical name:Cistus X purpureus

Orchid rockrose is an evergreen shrub growing to 4' tall and wide, often shorter in stressful situations. The rosy-crimson flowers to 3" wide exhibit a dark purple blotch at the base of each petal, and bloom early to mid-summer. The flowers also feature a contrasting yellow cluster of stamens in the center. It does well in salt spray and cool winds. It is relatively long-lived, tolerant of heat and aridity as well as accepting many soil conditions.

Bearded Iris

Common name:Bearded Iris
Botanical name:Iris Bearded Hybrids

This perennial will grow 1'-3' tall and has medium size, blue green leaves with wonderful flowers that come in a variety of colors.

Giant Feather Grass

Common name:Giant Feather Grass
Botanical name:Stipa gigantea

This grass will grow 2'-3' tall and 2'-3' wide. It has narrow, dark green leaves with golden flowers that bloom in the summer. Tall grasses are highly combustible.

Perennial Marigold

Common name:Perennial Marigold
Botanical name:Tagetes lemmonii

This larger perennial will grow to 6' tall and has small, light green leaves with yellow mustard colored flowers that bloom in winter and spring. Cut back to within 6" of the ground to refresh and reduce the size of the plant. This plant is a riot of color!

Island Tree Mallow

Common name:Island Tree Mallow
Botanical name:Lavatera assurgentiflora

This is a fast growing, evergreen, flowering shrub that works great as a foundation planting or windbreak. They require little maintenance other than occasional shearing to keep it dense.

Garden Nasturtium

Common name:Garden Nasturtium
Botanical name:Tropaeolum majus

This annual ground cover/vine and will grow less than 1' tall, but will spread and climb up to 6' tall. Nasturtium has 2" light green leaves with edible, red, orange, yellow, or white flowers that are in constant bloom throughout the warm season. This plant usually reseeds, with new plants emerging in early spring.

Trailing Ice Plant

Common name:Trailing Ice Plant
Botanical name:Lampranthus spectabilis

This succulent groundcover is a moderately fast grower, spreading 2' wide and mounding and can grow 6"-12" tall. During the spring, it is covered with flowers could be shades of pink, purple or white. Leaves are gray green. This mounding succulent does best in full sun and is drought tolerant. It needs good drainage. It may need to be periodically cut back to rejuvenate the plant.

Sustainable Landscaping Fundamentals

Sustainable landscaping is a term coined to mean sensible landscape practices that work within the limits of the Eco-system. This means within the limits of your local rainfall, soil conditions and sun patterns.

Click in the green box for more information

Designer: Russe Horticulture

Russe Border

Photographer: GardenSoft

Soils and Compost:

Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.

Integrated Pest Management:

Attract, or buy beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to control pest outbreaks in your garden.